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Phones: 253-7698 • Phone/Fax: 253-8668 Email: chccucc@myfairpoint.net • Website: www.chccucc.org | ||||
Pastor..................................................... Reverend Carol Asher Home Phone: 744-7864 E-mail: clsasher2@aol.com Ministers.............................................................. All Members Director of Music............................................ Secretary............................................................. Diane Lamper Ukama/Partner........ |
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This Week in Our Church Family
Boldface = Church-sponsored events
Sunday (12/6) 10:00 am Worship and
11:00 am Fellowship and Refreshments in Gilpatric Hall
Monday (12/7) 8:00 am T’ai Chi
Tuesday (12/8) 7:30 am Spirituality
5:30-6:30pm
7:30 pm Trustees
Wed. (12/9) 12:00 pm Women’s Fellowship Luncheon
Thursday (12/10) 6:30 pm T’ai Chi
Friday (12/11)
Saturday (12/13)
Sunday (12/14) 10:00 am Worship and
11:00 am Fellowship and Refreshments in Gilpatric Hall
Thank You to Today’s Volunteers
Ushers: | Nursery Care: | Gabby Smith | |
Liturgist: | Greeters: | Dave and Lynne Sias | |
Acolytes: | Nate Manville and Nick Manville | Fellowship Hosts: | Kent and Mary Alice Warner |
The flowers on the altar are given by the Larson family
in memory of Jean Young.
December 6, 2009 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship for the Second Sunday of Advent
Large print bulletins available—please ask an usher.
An asterisk (*) indicates “Please stand if you are able.”
Gathering for Worship
PRELUDE “Now The Silence” Schalk
(Children will leave to go to their classes at this time; they will return for Communion.)
IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH (announcements)
PREPARING THE WAY Lighting the Second Candle of Advent
the Love Candle is lit by Mary and Joseph
Entering into Worship
CHORAL INTROIT
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
L: Come, let us be about our preparations for a new advent of love among us.
P: The wastelands of life around us cannot shut out the promise of life-giving water.
L: Hatred and warfare, injustice and suffering—these are not the last word for they are not of God.
P: We hear again the promise of peace, coming in the one who lived Shalom among all people.
L: We see again the light God promises in the midst of our darkness.
P: We are feeling again the joy that comes through partnership in the gospel.
L: May our worship recall us to what is centered in life; to the One who gives us breath and purpose in life.
P: We come to embrace the new advent, to be renewed in hope, and love.
*OPENING HYMN “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” Hymn #140
*GATHERING PRAYER (in unison)
God of Advent, we live in the promise that you will fulfill your will for all the people on the earth. Yet nations are in chaos and our lives are in turmoil. Gather us together to begin our watch for the coming of your Promised One. Lead us through the chaos by a watchful heeding spirit. In the name of the One who is to come, we pray saying: “Our Father…”
*LORD’S PRAYER (using “debts”)
*GLORIA PATRI (sung by the people) #35
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen. Amen.
A Time of Sharing
PRAYER JOYS AND CONCERNS
When we stop praying, “co-incidences” stop.
ANTHEM “Create In Me A Clean Heart, O God” Willan
CALL TO PRAYER
“Hush now in quiet peace, be still your mind at ease;
The Spirit brings release, so wait upon the Lord.”
PASTORAL PRAYER
CHORAL RESPONSE
OFFERING
Organ Offertory “Creator Of The Stars Of Night” Sarum Plainsong
*Doxology (#137, verse 3 sung by the people)
“As they offered gifts most rare at that manger rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy, pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to you, our heav’nly king.”
*Prayer of Dedication
Reflecting on God’s Word
SCRIPTURE 1 John 4:7-12 p. 241 NT
SERMON “God’s Love… Reaching”
Sharing God’s Gift to Us
PRESENTATION OF GOD’S GIFTS
INVITATION
SHARING OF THE BREAD AND CUP
All believers are invited to share in these Communion blessings
Sending
*CLOSING HYMN “God’s Love Made Visible” Hymn #171
*BENEDICTION
ORGAN POSTLUDE “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You” Manz
Christmas Reminders (by Errton P. Robertson)
At this Christmas Time
May the Christmas Gifts remind you of
God’s Gift, His Only Begotten Son.
May the Christmas Candles remind you of
Him who is “The Light of the World.”
May the Christmas Tree remind you of
Another tree on which He hung for you.
May the Christmas Cheer remind you of
Him who said, “Be of Good Cheer.”
May the Christmas Feast remind you of
Him who is “The Bread of Life.”
May the Christmas Snow remind you of
The Pure Heart cleansed by Christ.
May the Christmas Bells remind you of
The Glorious Proclamation of His Birth.
May the Christmas Carols remind you of
Him who is the Greatest Friend to man.
May the Christmas Season remind you, in
Every way, of Jesus Christ your King.
God’s Love
We call it mercy; it is God’s forgiving love.
We call it providence; it is God’s caring love.
We call it kindness; it is God’s understanding love.
We call it Christ’s passion and death; it is God’s proven love.
We call it happiness it is God’s encouraging love.
We call it the will of God; it is God’s unerring love.
We call it heaven; it is God’s rewarding love.
We call it eternity; it is God’s unending love.
We call it the world; it is God’s creating love.
We call them aardvarks; it is God’s laughing love.
A Prayer for Lighting Advent Candles (J. Barrie Shepherd)
Creator God, this is a lovely thing we do, to light more candles week by week until your Son is born among us. As the light of these candles grows, so let the love of Christmas, the joy of giving and the happiness of hoping spread through our homes, our families, our churches, and our own lives that we might come at last to kneel before the manger and know the Child of Christmas born within our hearts. Amen.
Gold Wrapping Paper
Some time ago a mother punished her five-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she became upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, “This is for you, Momma.”
The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner: “Don’t you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there’s supposed to be something inside the package?”
She had tears in her eyes and said, “Oh, Momma, it’s not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full.”
The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
It is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, has been given a golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.
“With humans, many things are impossible… but all things are possible with God.” Matthew 19:26
This verse is for you to think about and learn. Adults, please help your smaller children learn the part that is bolded.
Announcements
Welcome
A warm welcome to all on this second Sunday of Advent. In this holy season we remember that God always keeps his promises. Rejoice with us in the covenant of God’s love. We commune with God during worship and we fellowship with each other afterwards in Gilpatric Hall.
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Alternative Christmas
What to give to that person who already has plenty? Consider a gift from the Alternative Gift catalog—a gift in that person’s honor to Heifer International, Circle or Mayhew (for at-risk girls and boys), our Village Preschool Scholarship Fund or New Beginnings Women’s Crisis Center.
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Come to Bethlehem Inn
On Sunday, December 13th beginning at 5:00 PM, EVERYONE is invited to come to Bethlehem Inn. We will enjoy a POT LUCK SUPPER… and who knows what else can happen at a busy inn in
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Poinsettias
Orders are bring taken for Christmas poinsettia plants. Please notice that those given to shut-ins will be delivered after worship on December 20th; others will be left to beautify our sanctuary through Christmas Eve. Use the enclosed order form. Last day for orders is TODAY.
The Lakes Region Ringers
The Lakes Region Ringers will present their Christmas Handbell Concert today at 7:00 PM at
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Keeping Holidays in Times of Grief
Seminar sponsored by Community Health & Hospice, December 9th from 10-11:30 AM and again from 7-8:30 PM. For more information, please see the December newsletter or call John Davies, Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator at Community Health & Hospice, 524-8444.
Women’s Christmas Luncheon
Ladies are invited to Kevin’s at noon on December 9th. Call Jane King, 968-7495, to reserve your place. In case of inclement weather, the luncheon will be on Wednesday, December 16th. Please bring a small gift and your Christmas spirit!
Pemigewasset Choral Society Presents In Dulci Jubilo
Thurs, Dec. 10 at 7:30 PM at Our Lady of the Lakes Church, Laconia; Fri, Dec. 11 at 7:30 PM at St. Paul’s Church, Franklin; Sun, Dec. 13 at 3:00 PM at Silver Center, PSU. Concerts are by donation except for the performance at PSU, where tickets must be purchased; call 535-ARTS. Four members of our Alleluia Choir will be singing!
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